Highlights of the June 2012 Issue

It is fitting that the U.S. Special Operations Command
(SOCOM) named its Tactical Human Optimization
Rapid Rehabilitation and Reconditioning (THOR3)
program after a mythological figure associated with strength
and protection of mankind. The THOR3 program, based on the
athletic training model used today by professional strength and
conditioning coaches in sports settings, is building stronger,
more resilient special operators who are in peak physical
shape for deployment, less likely to get injured and able to
return to action faster from injury than ever before. In
essence, the program is building modern-day warriors
like Thor.

“We have had great success with the THOR3 program,
which is designed to increase combat performance,
prevent injuries, improve health and longevity and facilitate
rapid return to duty,” says Brig. Gen. Edward
M. Reeder Jr., USA, commanding general U.S. Army
Special Forces Command (Airborne). “These professionals
are all working in the area of preventative care
as well to enhance resilience and stress hardiness. As
always, we continue to push the need to select only the
most stress-hardy individuals, train them to hone these
skills and provide monitoring support and/or treatment
when needed to keep them supporting their mission.”

According to Ray Bear, a human performance coordinator
who runs the THOR3 program for 3rd Special
Operations Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C., the
training is having a positive impact on the overall readiness
of these tactical athletes, creating more resilient and
smarter special forces operators.” ...

Fairchild AFB, Wash., opened its $18.8 million, 79,000-square-foot, new fitness
center on March 9, providing airmen and their families with the premier
fitness, health and wellness facilities they deserve. Co-located with the fitness
center are the Health and Wellness Center (HAWC) — a vitally important tool
in the Air Force Fitness arsenal — and a pool that is used for recreation, water aerobics
and Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) training.

According to Fitness Director John Gahagan, although there was a plan to replace
the old fitness center, the real impetus came in 2009 when a roof in the 1940s
warehouse that the fitness center was housed in collapsed under the weight of excessive
snow (more than 100 inches).

“Despite the fact that we were able to make numerous repairs to the roof, there
was still a question of how much of a snow load it could handle, so leadership at the
time decided to put an emergency replacement plan in place,” notes Gahagan. “The
new building gave us the same footprint and square footage that we had before, but
as a design-build project we had a clean slate to create a building that would best
suit our needs.” ...

As is the case at many large military installations, the
outdoor playing fields at MCB Camp Lejeune, N.C.,
get incredible usage. From recreational play and sports leagues
to training and installation events, the outdoor grass fields take
a lot of abuse. Over time, Camp Lejeune saw degradation in the
quality and safety of its outdoor playing surfaces and began to
look into a long-term solution.

“As a very large military installation, we have 45,000 active-duty members here and serve a total population — including family members, civilians, contractors, etc. — of approximately 180,000 people,” says Chris Alger, Sports Branch head, Semper Fit Division. “Our fields get a lot of use and it was difficult to maintain them to the best standards, especially when there was no down time to let them recuperate.”

The playing fields, which include a football/soccer stadium,
a multipurpose field and a softball stadium, are located next
to the field house — a highly utilized facility because it is the
largest gathering place on the installation.

“The fields are used by everyone — Marines, spouses and youth — and for a variety of purposes, including recreational and organized sports, physical training, unit functions — whatever the need may be,” notes Alger. “So the biggest concern for us was safety. Our fields had been used so much that they were no longer safe to play on, they were no longer level, they had divots and holes and our drainage system was failing. That really was the main impetus for this whole project — creating safe playing and training environments.” ...